Screaming voices rang through what the humans would call heaven. Those voices rose and fell before finally silence laced the area. Lela, with long auburn hair and bright blue eyes moved her delicate figure toward the man with his butt parked on the throne. The man was massive, his shoulders extending out larger than three of her put together, but she knew no matter how large he may seem, he would never harm her for he was her father, “Father why is it she is determined to find those artifacts, does she not know that prophecies come and go?”

The older man sighed heavily, “Lela you should know by now that your sister will always try to find ways to take over both the heavens and the earth. It is her mother in her. “

Lela moved closer to the man before taking a seat on the final step that lead up to his throne, “Why are we so different and yet we have the same mother?” Lela always questioned this whenever her sister, Rae and herself got into battles like this one.

Her father brushed his fingers through his daughter’s hair for a moment, “It will always be that way Lela, but know this, if the prophecy is true and there are artifacts on earth that will give her substantial power, she will end up ruling the earth as well as the heavens. You know what you must do.”

Lela hated thinking of battling her sister, much less wanting to rule the earth or the heaven, but the prophecy foretold of a child of the one true ruler finding the lost artifacts that held considerable power; the same power that would make the wielder ruler over all. Lela didn’t want to see her father’s rein come to an end, yet if Rae was determined to find such artifacts on earth then it was upon her to put a stop to it, even if that meant taking the reins from her father after all. She sighed heavily, “I suppose father.”

Her father leaned forward catching her attention even as his hand cupped her jaw gently, tilting her head up to look at him, “Lela, my dear, you know how she works. She will send everything she can to stop you once she figures out you have followed. You may have to look beyond your normal means, align yourself with those you would not consider otherwise in order to defeat her. Do what you must, but do not let her gain those artifacts. For the sake of human kind as well as your kin, put a stop to your sister’s destruction.” With that he leaned even closer and kissed her forehead before standing up and moving away from her.

Lela watched as her father’s large figure moved into the shadows before turning her attentions back to her journey ahead. She prepared to go to the church to seek aid, but after her father’s words she decided she may need to research a bit more and see what he meant by aligning herself with someone she wouldn’t consider.

Lela stood and moved fluidly through the clouds, searching the earth for something, she wasn’t quite sure what. Scene after scene played for her, the lives of the people on earth. Some were black hearted like her sister and others were trying to get by. She stopped, admiring the Paladins in their search for justice. How valiant they were in their pursuit and how pure of heart and soul they were. Lela didn’t understand why she couldn’t just gain their aid in her battle with her sister; they appeared to be excellent warriors in battle.

Just as if she had asked the question out loud the next scene to play before her was the reason why aligning with the Paladins would be a bad move. Before her was a Paladin or at least used to be one. He faltered in his purity and before long his heart had turned black. He still possessed the skills of battle but was now fighting for what Lela would consider her sister’s side. He killed without mercy and he savored each kill like it was his first, gaining enjoyment from his actions. Lela felt her stomach roll with the sight and waved her hand to clear the scene away.

She knew life was not perfect for the humans but to lose oneself to the evil, she just couldn’t understand it. Lela kept moving through the clouds in hopes of finding something that would help with this battle. The more she looked the more her hopes dwindled until she came across a scene of a man in battle. His skills were like nothing she had ever seen before. He moved so fluidly and yet with killer instinct. She searched his soul and found darkness; her hopes dropping again and yet something about him intrigued her so she continued to watch. The battle he fought was bloody and yet when it was over with she felt his desire to end his own life. Her head tilted as she searched more into this man, curiously searching for the reasons. Lela was amazed to find a man, vicious as any she had witness before, but his conscious wore on him. He hated what he was, prayed for death to take him, release him from this life he considered hell.

Lela felt her heart lift at the sight of this man. He wouldn’t falter in his quest, he wouldn’t turn into something her sister could use for he was already there and yet he kept the part of him that made him truly good. She spun where she stood excited at the prospect of gaining this man as an ally. She wished to see this man now, finding him resting at an inn. Slipping into his dreams she began the long process of calling him to her, to a church where he would find a job for him to do, one of great importance. Lela also entered the dreams of the priest of this church urging them to find this man and bring him there for something of great importance. She knew it would take some time, time she knew was valuable in this battle, but so was making sure to gain his trust long before he actually saw her.

Lela slept as peaceful as she could, images of her sister clear in her mind throughout her time of rest. She always found it quite amusing how the humans considered dark hair, dark complexion as evil and the light hair, lighter complexion good. Her sister and she were complete opposites, where as she had the darker hair, light eyes and darker complexion; her sister had the blond hair, dark brown eyes and light complexion and yet where she was good her sister was pure evil. Lela slipped from the bed, intending on changing and going to the church where she was to meet this dark man she had been summoning for weeks now. Lela knew it the moment his mind changed and knew when the urge to find out what the dreams were about took root. She could almost feel him moving toward the church with every day’s journey.

Slipping on clothing that would allow her to roam free on earth without bringing attention to herself, she moved toward the area where the church resided. Slipping into the interior of the church she waited for his arrival. She had dressed in leather britches, with a long sleeved chain mail top. The top though had the chain mail woven into the material so it was light as well as almost silent when she moved. Yes, she had something that wasn’t normally seen but she hid the outfit with a long dark hooded robe. Her dark hair pulled back under the hood and the only thing that shown were her red lips and her bright blue eyes. Her hands clasped together, letting the sleeves of the robe fall, essentially hiding her skin from sight. Black leather, knee high boots held her daggers, which she more than likely wouldn’t need, but she had them just in case. Lela was as prepared as she was ever going to get to meet this man, she just prayed that nothing turned his attention away before he got there.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Screams of death were all around Tastol. His blades darted out here and flicked there, sinking lethally into flesh, or sliding along throats and knees. He was the cause of every death scream that filled the large antechamber, and yet he felt no remorse for any of it.

Tastol Kydaer had spent the past couple of months following this cult, following the trail of bodies they'd left behind, ritualistically murdered. Even when he'd found the lair, he'd had to go slow, taking prisoners, and torturing them for the information he'd needed. Now, all of that time and hard work was paying off. He'd finally found the hideout, and he was in the process of finishing off the last of them. The leader wasn't among them though, that much he did know.

Only when the last man in the large chamber had been finished off, some needing one more stab in the heart, and the last bit of blood flicked from his scimitars did Tastol finally move on. He darted quickly across the chamber, moving to the stairs at the far side. He almost flew down them, moving with a speed that many envied. down and down and down he went, down until he came to a door at the very bottom. He pressed his ear to it, and when he heard nothing, he tested it, finding it locked. He wasn't too worried about it though. He took one step back and gave it a kick. The door flew open, and Tastol darted inside, despite the stench that assaulted him in the process. Right in front of him was his target, the vampire napping safely in his coffin, or so he thought. Tastol rushed forward, but in his haste he'd overlooked something. He heard it before he saw it, and he had smelled it even before that. He just hadn't recognized the source until he was ducking beneath the swing of a giant club.

Tastol rolled to safety, his mithril scimitars almost jumping into his hands. He rose back to his feet and waited, waiting for the large and stupid brute to turn. It was so hard to find good help these days. Tastol simply smiled and waited, his knees bent, and his blades ready. His muscles itched for this, even though he knew it would be short, for it was not the first time he'd fought a troll. Just as he'd expected, the troll charged. Tastol didn't move though, not even as he watched the giant club lift into the air. No, he stood his ground, knowing that he was the superior of the two. The troll closed the distance with a speed that would have surprised most people, but Tastol was ready. His blades lifted as the club came down. He didn't try to block it though. That would have been suicide. He took a step to his left, sidestepping the club as he used some of his own strength to push it down and away from him. In a singular motion, he dropped his scimitars and spun. The sheer momentum of the troll's swing had brought him down, and before the thing even knew what had happened, Tastol had drawn his katana, the beautifully curved mithril blade slipping free of it's sheathe. It's arc was perfect, a single blow that was lent power from his spin, a spinning slash that severed the beast's head. One flick of his blade, and the blood was gone from the silvery blue surface. Tastol retrieved his scimitars and turned his attentions to the man, or rather vampire, sleeping in the coffin.

It was such a shame for the fool that he was what he was, destined to sleep during the daytime. It was the single-greatest advantage Tastol had over them, and one he'd used often. Despite his advantages though, Tastol wasted no time in decapitating this foe as well, watching the body turn to dust. A few minutes later, Tastol had set the entire complex on fire and left, moving on to rest before he found another enemy to kill.

Tastol's life was like that, had been since he'd first discovered what he was. For he was a dhampir, a rare half-breed that could only be birthed by a male vampire and a female human. As was normal though, Tastol's mother didn't survive the experience, and he was left with nobody to teach him about himself. From his youngest years, everybody knew Tastol was different. He was stronger, faster, and more quiet than his peers. He was also a loner, but that didn't bother anybody. They were content to leave him be, and he was happy that way, happy until he started to feel the thirst. It was a thirst that no water could quench, a hunger that no food could sate. It was his vampire half, craving the blood that gave him him their strengths. Try as he might, he could never truly resist it, no matter how hard he tried. He'd left the orphanage as early as he could manage it, taking up the life of a mercenary, one where he could feed off his foes before killing them.

Being a dhampir had it's advantages in Tastol's line of work, advantages that he was more than happy for. For starters, he wasn't effected by sunlight. He moved freely, both during the day and during the night. It made finding his foes that much easier.

Tastol had done as much research as he could on his "condition" trying to find out as much about it, and others like himself as he could. He found that he shared much in common with the few dhampirs that were known from the past. Every one of them hated their vampire fathers, and Tastol had killed his own personally. Every one of them had taken to a life of violence and solitude, and every one of them had become a vampire when they died, and it was for that reason that their job was never complete. Every dhampir hated that part of themselves, that even when every vampire in the world was gone, still one remained. When he died, he would rise again, as that which he hated, unless he was slain in such a way that would kill a vampire.

With a quick shake of his head, Tastol headed back to the town that was the closest to where he was. His horse was a sturdy brown mare, one who'd been with him for quite some time. It had taken him a very long time to find a horse that would bear him as a rider, and he treated her well for that. A few hours later, Tastol was sinking into a bath, cleaning the blood of his fallen foes from his flawless pale skin, something he'd done more times than he could count. Then, when at last he was clean once more, Tastol sank into his bed, letting his weary body finally rest.

Tastol rarely dreamed, but this night was an exception. He couldn't really describe much from it, except for a church, and a desire to go there, to do something, something important. Tastol just shook it off when he woke though, attributing his strange dream to his hunger, for it had been a couple of days since he'd fed. The thirst was the second hardest part about being a dhampir. Hiding the fact that he was a dhampir was the hardest.Thankfully though, they were things Tastol had become very good at. He hadn't told a soul about his true nature, and when he did need to feed, he did it quickly, quietly, and mercifully. He never killed the people he fed from, unless they were people he was going to kill anyway, and he always hid the wound by licking it afterwards, something few people knew about.

Unfortunately for Tastol though, the dreams persisted from feeding to feeding. He tried to distract himself with looking for work, with gambling, and even a few barmaids here and there, but nothing could rid him of the dreams, and the strange desire to go to a church he'd never been to before. With a final resigned sigh, Tastol decided to do it, if only to sate his own strange desire to go, to understand why.

The trip to the church would have been far more annoying for Tastol, being as he didn't know exactly where it was, if not for the dreams guiding him to it. Still, he took his time, feeding as he needed and still trying to figure out why he was being drawn to this church, and what was of such great importance.

Nobody challenged Tastol at the gates of the church grounds, and still nobody challenged him when he got to the large double doors. They were simply opened for him, and he was led inside and into the main chamber, where he would hopefully find out what this was all about.

As the large doors opened Lela watched as the dark figure approached. She felt chills sliding over her skin as her eyes took in the sight of the man moving toward her. She had seen him time and again, but the visions she had as well as slipping into his dreams did not give the man credit in the least. He reeked of death and destruction and certainly would make someone consider following such a path yet he hated it and she could feel it on him the closer he got.

Her eyes ran up the length of his body, taking note of how battle worn he was and yet still held the confidence to slay for many more years to come. This was certainly someone that would not have been her first choice. If she hadn't known his secret, much less his desire to end it all she probably would have passed him by as someone more fitting her sister's cause. She kept herself hidden under her robe as she stepped slowly toward the man, her soft husky voice ringing out in the church, "I hoped that you hadn't lost your way. Would be a shame, having to find another for this mission."

Lela tried to calm down the effect of her skin, much less her eyes and voice. Being a goddess it was like everything about her was a magnet for humans' attentions. Over the years she had perfected the art and yet there were still some that their eyes tended to glaze over when they saw her or heard her speak. Never once had she ever touched one for fear of leaving a lasting mark on them that they would forever desire her and yet never have her. Unlike her sister who seemed to enjoy making humans mindless pets to her whim. Her sister Rae, never once protected humans, in fact she thrived on capturing their attention and making them die from desperate need to be with her. Rae always found it amusing where Lela found it sickening.

Lela stopped her forward progress, her robe shifting around her eyes made their way to the man's chest, "Coin is of no concern, name your price and it shall be yours. You are needed to accompany me to collect some items that were lost to my possession. There may be danger, hence why I need someone that does well in battle. If you accept my offer the final reward will match your one true desire," as the final words left her lips her brilliant blue eyes raised to meet his own.

As her eyes locked with his her breath actually caught in her throat. Never before had she seen someone so beautiful before. His face was nothing but sharp planes and roughness and yet something in his eyes made all of that harshness fade away. Her heart ached for the man, even though she knew he desired death she never thought it would show even for an instant.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol's gaze cast back and forth as he moved up the center aisle of the church. He saw several people, but none of them caught his attention. It wasn't until he stopped at the base of the steps leading up to the altar that he heard somebody speak. His gaze turned towards the person, female by the sound of her voice. He couldn't make out any details about her, because of the heavy robe she wore about herself.

The sound of the woman's voice had a curious effect on him, something he'd never experienced before, despite all of his experiences with the supernatural. Thankfully though, Tastol was no ordinary human, and with a quick blink of his eyes and shake of his head, he managed to clear the effect, briefly at least. his mind blanked briefly on what she was saying, but within moments her words started registered clearly in his mind.

As the woman's words finally registered, Tastol couldn't help but chuckle. His head bowed as he laughed. "You're joking right? All the paladins, clerics, and mercenaries on the continent, much less the world, and you are brave enough to call upon the one mercenary whose prices make even kings hesitate?"

Tastol was still chuckling when the woman's gaze lifted to meet his. The moment their gazes met though, the laughter died in Tastol's throat. Her eyes were as bright and brilliantly blue as his own. There was more to it though. Something in those eyes told Tastol that there was far more to this story than the woman wanted to let on. He recovered quickly enough though, and spoke once more.

"Before I even consider your offer though, why don't you tell me a little more about these items of yours. Let's start with where they are, who else wants them, and why they're so valuable."

Lela liked the sound of his voice, even liked the sound of his chuckle even though it was laced with sarcasm. When his voice surrounded her once more she almost smiled at it, the sound being quite normal and yet it had an affect on her that none had had before. She felt a tingle run down her spine, finding herself stepping even closer to him. The bottom of her robe brushed over his legs as her eyes never left his own.

Her voice lowered for she didn't want everyone knowing her business, at least not in details, "The items I seek are artifacts, my families if you must know. As for who else would want them, simply, my sister as she has already started her quest in finding them." Lela paused, wondering for a brief moment how detailed she should get with him. It wasn't like a human could possess the power that the artifacts held, but then again stranger things have happened, "They are of great value, that is all I can tell you, for now. As a mercenary yourself, you certainly are more curious than most," tilting her head slightly as her tongue flicked briefly over her lips, "As I have said the price is not a concern for me, name it and it shall be yours."

Lela's eyes gazed into his own bright blue ones and wondered what made this man so different than all the others she had witnessed. Yes, she knew part of it was what he was, his own desire for his demise and yet there was more to it. Most mercenaries could care less what they were after as long as the coin was within hand. Her head straightened as she studied him, her hands unclasping within the sleeves of the robe as her curiosity about this man soared to new heights. Her hand raised even as she threw up a block on the affect of her touch a moment before it rested lightly on his chest.

The shock wave that sparked from him to her nearly knocked her to her knees. Her hand move back from his chest as a gasp left her lips. She never imagined a reaction like that to anyone, much less a human, even though human wasn't really what he was, at least not all of him. Clearing her throat she slipped her hands together, still feeling the electric charge sliding up her arm in waves, "What say you Tastol? Will you accept this offer and join with me in the hunt?" Lela hoped she was hearing things as her voice has grown even huskier than it normally was. Was it due to the reaction between them or was she imagining it? Only time would tell.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol studied the woman as he spoke, but didn't turn to face her properly until she stepped forward a bit. She didn't have to specifically say that she wanted to keep her business private, but he understood. That was part of what made Tastol so good at what he did, especially fighting and killing. The small things that people gave away without even thinking were often the most important.

Of all the things the woman said, it was the part about her sister that Tastol found most curious. That single piece of information told Tastol that the woman was likely royalty. That alone told him that this job could be incredibly profitable, even if it wasn't normally the type of job he normally took.

Tastol watched as the woman unclasped her hands and lifted one. He made no moved backwards as that delicate and flawlessly beautiful hand slipped free of the dark robe. Her skin was pale, not quite so pale as his though. Tastol knew the woman wasn't holding a weapon in that hand, so he let her close the distance between them with it.

Tastol practically staggered back when the woman's hand actually touched him. He gasped with surprise when he felt something akin to shock surge through him. He took a steady step backwards, lifting a hand to his head briefly as he tried to figure out what the hell happened. The woman's words brought his gaze back up to her, and the moment their eyes met this time, he felt a pull towards her. He didn't understand it's origin, but it was strong to be sure. Despite it though, Tastol hesitated, battling against his own eagerness to say yes.

When at last he had himself back under control, or as close as he was going to get in this woman's presence, Tastol finally spoke. "I will join you in your quest, but only with the understanding that I will name my price after it is finished. Is that acceptable?"

Lela saw the reaction in him even as she was still feeling the electrical current sliding up her arm. She had a moment to wonder if her block had been lacking and yet when he faced her again he didn't seem to be a slave to her every word. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, thankful that her block had held. She never allowed herself the opportunity to touch anyone, but something about this man had her fingers and hands itching to touch him, to feel his skin under her own. As the desire rose within her to touch him so did other desires along with it, the feel of his lips pressed to hers, the feel of his body sliding over her.

Lowering her eyes from his she didn't wish to let those desires show even for an instance. Lela was pure and she wished to stay that way, but never before had she had these desires. She had witnessed acts between couples before, always looking in at the wrong times. She never stayed until finish, in fact she always darted her eyes when it had happened before, giving the couple their privacy. Lela did wonder what it would be like, to feel that, to feel the love that seemed to waft off of the couples she had seen. She knew her father was in the process of selecting someone, his threat to her since she hadn't found anyone on her own.

Her eyes rose to meet Tastol once more, "Agreed," she responded to him before heading toward the door he came through, brushing close by him as she passed, "We should start now as we have a long way to go." Lela tried to put her feelings and her thoughts behind her, to view this as a means to an end, but even as she walked away from him she felt the tightness in her chest at the distance. Lela began to wonder if this was for the best after all.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol felt an unexpected rush of elation when the woman agreed to his terms, not only because he would profit tremendously from this, but because he was looking forward to spending time with her. He didn't understand the feelings her presence brought on, but that didn't matter to him just then. He was just glad that she would be close by.

It wasn't until Tastol turned to follow the woman that he realized that she had neglected to answer one of his previous questions, as well as not introducing herself. It seemed strange for royalty to overlook an opportunity to put their family name out there, but he simply shook it off. Several long strides brought Tastol beside the woman, and a few more from each of them carried them out the door. His horse was exactly where he had left her, happily grazing in the grass beside the large church. He paused before heading towards her though.

"Do you have a horse of your own, or will we be riding double on mine?" Tastol asked nonchalantly, figuring he'd save the other questions for when they were on the road and moving.

Lela felt him move up closer to her and it wasn't some six sense or even her abilities as a goddess that told her, it was that the tightness in her chest eased and that bothered her even more. She would in no way make this man more than he was. He was to help her defeat her sister in this little scavenger hunt. Once done he would make his life altering choice and she would accept his desires and end his existence. There was no reason at all for her to get closer to this man, but she found that she was.

As the night air brushed over both of them upon exiting the church she took a moment to look up at the sparkling stars and felt a longing to be home. Why did she have to be the one to go traipsing around on Earth just to find these things? Lela knew before she even asked herself that question, her father was testing her in some aspect. He always found a round about way to make her do something he wanted her to while making her think it was her idea. Well this wasn't her idea, this was her duty to him and everyone else. Making sure that if the prophecy was true that her sister would not end up being the ruler of anything.

Her head lowered, her eyes flicked to Tastol as a soft smile curved her lips, "I will be fine, my horse will be along shortly." She turned toward him even as she called out to a horse close by, making sure it wasn't his that she touched. The horse quickly began a stride toward them both, a beautiful Palamino-colored mare with spirit, "Tastol meet Sadie." Lela smiled, letting her hand run the length of the horse's head before her fingers wrapped around one of the ears, "We will need to head west a bit. I'm sure we can find some accommodations that will suit us to rest in."

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol's eyes watched the woman, seeing the small smile that flicked over her lips as she turned towards him and called her horse over to her. He loosely gripped his horse's reigns and walked it towards the woman and her horse. He smiled at her introduction and lifted a hand to rest on Sadie's nose, sliding it slowly up to her ears. "Well met Sadie." Tastol said softly before turning his gaze to his own mount. "This is Elspeth. Elspeth meet Sadie and..."

It wasn't until that moment that Tastol realized that the woman had never said her name. "I'm sorry ma'am, we haven't been properly introduced. You know my name, but I don't know yours." The fact that he cared what this woman's name was actually surprised Tastol. He'd dealt with many nobles in his life, but he'd rarely cared to know their names, though they'd usually been very eager to introduce them, hoping that their reputation would get a rise out of him.

With a quick shake of his head, Tastol cleared his thoughts, wondering what the hell had come over him. He pulled himself into the saddle and waited for the woman to either introduce herself or mount up, whichever she felt like doing first.

Lela turned her attention to Sadie as Tastol rubbed her nose, her own hand slowly stroking down the horse's neck. Hearing his introduction pause, her own hand did the same as she felt the heat begin to build up in her cheeks. He was correct that she never mentioned her own name. She was rather grateful he didn't ask how she knew of him or even his name. Lela was never good with coming up with believable stories in a short time.

Hearing him mount his horse she turned back toward him, letting her hand fall from her own horse she stepped closer to him. Her hand moved over Elspeth's nose as she leaned in closer to the horse's ear, she whispered to the horse before her bright eyes raised to him, "Lela, forgive me for not saying sooner." She gave his horse another stroke of her hand on the nose before turning back to her own horse and pulling the sides of the robe apart, Lela mounted her horse. She wasn't like most women, she actually rode a horse like men would. Lela always found it easier to ride a horse like this than trying to do it side saddled.

Her eyes moved over to him before giving her horse a small prod to get Sadie moving. Lela didn't even need to lead the horse, letting Sadie know where they were going long before she even mounted her. It allowed Lela time to consider what it was about this man that seem to make her body react to him. He had a dangerous appeal to him, but she figured being a man of hire, he had to be dangerous sometimes to get the job done. Maybe it was his desires and what most people didn't see about him that drew her to him. Either way she was fighting it and would continue to do so, "This may be a dull adventure for you, but I am thankful that you accepted my offer."

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol simply nodded at Lela's introduction, but when her back turned, he caught himself mouthing her name to himself.

With another quick shake of his head, Tastol nudged Elspeth up beside Sadie, letting her pick her own path as he rode beside Lela. He found himself chuckling at her next words though. "For some reason Lela, I doubt that. Maybe it's because of the fact that you chose me of all people to accompany you. Maybe it's because I've traveled with more nobles than I care to count. Hell, maybe it's just me trusting my gut, but for some reason, I have a feeling that this adventure will be anything but dull.

Tastol didn't bother to explain why he suspected that Lela was a noble, and his voice held no trace of uncertainty in his suspicions. He was not a subtle man, never had been, and probably never would be. He was always the type to speak his mind, and never take no for an answer.

"West sounds fine Lela. We'll have to make a stop by a forest a few days ride from here though. I've got a friend who may be able to help us, a seer. She's helped me find things for many a client, and I have no doubt that her assistance will help us find the items that you seek." Tastol's spoke matter-of-factly, not leaving much room for negotiations or objections.

Lela smiled at his comment about how it wouldn't be a dull adventure. She was sure if her sister had anything to do with it, it wouldn't be, but Lela could hope.

As they continued on their journey she nodded, "Sounds like you have done this before many times." Lela found herself curious about what Tastol would say about his life and what he does for a living. She was curious if he would be open to telling her the most severe memories from his adventures. She had found that many kept the 'darker' side of themselves away from people and she was interested in finding out if he did. Lela had a feeling that he didn't.

Lela caught herself from time to time glancing over at him. He was such a mystery and yet she probably knew more about him than most did. There was just something about him that made her notice him much more than any other she had come across in her lifetime, which was a long one. Turning her attentions back to the road, "I wouldn't so much as say I am a noble woman. Most nobles I know are rather stuck on themselves. My sister, now she would be more along those lines as everything has to be about her. I personally would much rather help someone than shun them."

Lela found her gaze moving back up to the sky as she spoke, looking at the sparkling sky once more. She wondered if her father was watching her or if he was resting by now. Lela worried about him all the time, but that was her nature. She finally lowered her eyes back to the path they were on almost wishing this adventure was over with, but only because she dreaded going up against her sister.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol couldn't help but chuckle when Lela mentioned the likelihood of him doing this many times before. "Truthfully speaking, I haven't done too many missions like this. People usually call on me to either protect people from threats, or eliminate threats."

Lela's next words caught Tastol's attention. He normally avoided getting too close, but he found himself drawn to Lela. He hesitated before asking, more worried about getting too close than anything else. In the end though, he simply shrugged and turned towards her. "Speaking of which, what is it with you two? What happened between the two of you, and what is it about these items of yours that makes both of you want them? It seems like an awful lot of hassle just for some gold. You no doubt have plenty of that already."

Tastol wasn't entirely sure what he expected to hear, and he was still surprised that he cared, but there probably wasn't much harm in asking anyway.

Her eyes moved to him a moment wondering why he was curious, but then she figured he was just making small talk to make her feel more at ease. "It really isn't about the worth of the items, it is more the items themselves. I guess one could say it is like a family game, whomever captures the most artifacts is able to rule." Lela was rather surprised she came up with a story that hinted at the truth and yet was made up, let alone that it sounded believable.

"What about you? Do you have any family?" Lela found she wanted to know more about him, but was afraid to ask too much of him. He was a fighter, a warrior of sorts, even though he did this for a living. What did he need with small talk, much less to put her at ease. She wondered if he would open up to her or if in some way he was just playing with her mind. Lela doubted the later, but then there were many out there like that.

She saw the nearest town coming up, the light from the fires inside the buildings getting brighter. If they needed to travel for a few days, then a good night's rest would be just the thing for them, though she was unsure if she would be able to rest now that she was here. Her eyes glanced back over to him before moving back to the outline of the town, "I don't mean to pry Tastol," she said as they drew closer to where they would be staying for the night.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol turned towards Lela as he listened to her story. He had a feeling that there was more to it than she was letting on, but he doubted it would be worth his attention. He only worked with royalty when he had to, and even that was just because of the money. The question she fired back though, put him a little on edge. He straightened up in his saddle and took a slow and deep breath before speaking.

"My family? I'm afraid there's not much to tell. I'm an only child. My father left my mother when he found out she was pregnant. She died in labor, and I was raised in an orphanage. When I came of age, I sought out my father, but he was killed in battle. From that point on, I adopted the mercenary life, and that pretty much leads us to today."

Tastol's gaze turned towards the lights of the town that were getting slowly closer. He was not looking forward to spending a lot of time with Lela. It wasn't because she wasn't beautiful or charming, for she certainly was. It was because of the thirst that he knew would eat away at his control. He'd fed the night before, but he could already feel it, a slight tickle in the back of his throat that would get more and more insistent with each passing day.

With a slow shake of his head and a sigh, Tastol cleared his thoughts, trying to focus on the task at hand and the reward that he would ask Lela's goddess for when it was all said and done.

Lela lowered her voice as they entered the town, "I'm sorry about your family Tastol." She didn't want to continue something that was obviously painful to him even though he hid it very well.

As her eyes moved around the town she took note of how deserted it seemed. She suppose it was because it was late and most were probably asleep in their beds. "I do hope they have a place to stay, being that it is so late."

Lela knew they had a long road ahead, but already she was looking for some time apart from Tastol. She had watched him, knew about him and yet she felt more drawn to him the longer they were together. The trip so far hadn't been long but even that much made her very aware of him beside her. The potential he possessed was like an aura around him that seem to effect her more so than she could have ever thought possible.

Coming to a stop she slipped from her horse, keeping the horse between herself and him. Her hand brushed over the side of the horse as she took a deep breath reminding herself of what she was here to do. Once she felt calm once again she moved around the horse toward him, "I know this might be different from what you are used to Tastol, I just hope one day you find a way to do what your heart desires and not what your pockets tell you."

Lela wasn't sure why she felt a need to say that to him and even turned from him in hopes of just letting it go.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol heard the concern and sympathy in Lela's voice, and though he'd long since accepted his past for what it was, he did appreciate her kind words. In the end though, he still had to shrug. "It was a long time ago Lela, but thank you."

As one, the pair dismounted from their horses in front of the inn. Tastol tied off his horse and took his time moving around the horses towards Lela. The closer he got to her, the more he noticed the tickling in his throat. It was very distracting to say the least. Her words brought his head up though. His blue eyes found hers, and he made no attempt to hide his surprise at her words.

Tastol found himself at a loss for words, and was actually thankful when Lela turned away from him. It meant that he didn't have to respond right away, and he was grateful for that. He was far better at responding to an unexpected attack than he was an unexpected statement. He instead moved to follow her towards the door of the inn, moving in front of her to open the door and hold it open for her. "Did you want to head straight to bed, or were you hungry?" Tastol asked, glad to have an alternate topic to distract them from what she'd said earlier.

Seeing Tastol holding the door for her surprised Lela. She had seen him in just about every position or situation imaginable, but never once had she seen him act gentlemanly. Maybe it was who he was used to being around that had her not seeing this side of him before.

His words brought her attention back to him and her eyes moved over him for a moment, "I figured we could grab something to take to our room." She stepped past him and into the inn before she realized exactly what she had said. She quickly turned back to him to explain only to find him within inches of her.

Lela lost her thoughts, her eyes locked with his while their bodies were so close together. She could feel her heart beat picking up with the closeness. Clearing her throat she attempted to explain what she meant, her voice coming out in a husky whisper, "I meant our rooms."

She tried to tear her eyes away from him or even step back from him but something held her there, she wasn't entirely sure what. Tastol was different from most men, in fact she knew how different and yet parts of him still seemed a mystery to her. Lela finally began to turn around, hoping to break the connection she was feeling at that very moment, whispering to herself, "rooms, rooms, rooms."

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol turned to follow Lela as she made her way into the inn. He was brought to an abrupt halt though, almost running right into her when she stopped so suddenly. His blue gaze lowered to lock with hers. It didn't take long for him to understand why she's stopped. The soft and husky tone of her voice was another sure indicator of the reason behind her actions.

When Lela made to turn back around, Tastol's hand found her wrist, gripping it securely, but not nearly hard enough to hurt her. "How many rooms we need is up to you Lela. If you think that your sister is already on your trail and closing fast, a single shared room is safer for you. If you think you have some time and space ahead of her though, then separate rooms are fine. How much protection do you think you need right now?

Tastol's voice was filled with genuine concern as he spoke. The fact that he also wanted to stay close to her made him hope that she would decide that one room was best, but it was not something he would force upon her. It was her quest, and her life at stake. Thus, the choice was hers.

Feeling his hand on her wrist had Lela swallowing quickly the gasp that wanted to run up her throat. It wasn't that he had startled her, in fact it was quite the opposite. The clothing must have protected him as she didn't hear any indication in his tone when he spoke to her, but her own body's reaction grew with that heavy feel of his hand.

Protection was not her utmost concern right now. She knew her sister well, her sister would gain many allies before she attacked, so Lela had time and yet the thought of having him in the room with her to watch over her was making her lean that way even more. Lela was stalling and she knew it. The feel of his hand on her was certainly making it much more difficult for her to think of what to say or even do.

She was stronger than this, after all she was a goddess. She slowly stepped away as she spoke, "I suppose you are correct Tastol, one room would suffice." She prayed that no indication about his touch was in her tone, even though she had a feeling he knew already the effect it had on her. She moved to the inn keeper to see about the room hoping that by the time they made their way up to it she could have herself under control.

Lela didn't understand anything that was happening to her. She was never affected by humans before, but then Tastol wasn't human after all. She ground her teeth together, scolding herself for not taking better precautions with him. She vowed to do better in the future.

Once the food was ordered and the room key gathered she turned back to him and smiled, "Looks like it would have been one room anyway, the rest are full." She moved past him and up the stairs toward the room. She was hoping for space and yet knew none was coming. Taking a deep breath she opened the door to the room and stepped in. Dropping the key on the table she reached up sliding the hood from her dark hair, unfastened the clasps on her robe and letting it slip from her arms. She folded it and placed it along the back of the chair before turning to Tastol. She didn't know how he would react to seeing her without it, but it was better to find out now than later.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol was relieved when he heard Lela's words, but he felt a slight sinking feeling when she stepped away from him. The feeling itself was utterly foreign to him, yet it was there all the same. Despite that feeling though, he didn't stop her from stepping away, or from moving further from him, towards the inn keeper to purchase their room and meals. His eyes never left her though, not for an instant.

"One is better than none though." Tastol said as the pair made their way up the stairs. He couldn't help but let his gaze linger on Lela, even as he watched her reach their door and take a deep breath before opening it. He followed her in, but turned towards the window, moving to ensure that it was locked before turning back.

The sight of Lela without the robe should not have effected Tastol nearly as much as it did, especially since she was still wearing both leather britches and a long-sleeved chain mail top. He was effected though, and it wasn't until he went to remove his own cloak that he realized that he was staring at her, and she was watching him as he did.

Tastol bowed his head, lowering his gaze from her as he slipped the cloak from his shoulders. "I'm sorry." He said, apologizing for staring as he shook his head as he turned to the side to hang his cloak on a hook on the back of the door. He then locked the door before turning to face Lela once more.

"It's just that..." Tastol started as he made to slowly remove the sheath that held his katana from the belt around his waist. He set it on the bedside table. "You're a very beautiful woman Lela, and I find it very hard not to stare." Tastol let his gaze lower once more as he removed the belt completely, and the two scimitars and their sheaths along with it. He set them beside his katana and moved to sit on the bed so he could take his boots off.

Lela watched Tastol as he moved around the room checking the window and door before slowly stripping his weapons from himself. She found it fascinating that his eyes would always return to hers before lowering once more. He was certainly not saying anything to her that she hadn't heard before, but from him it was a bit more concerning, since he was supposed to be protecting her.

Lela moved closer to him on the bed, taking a seat beside him. She laced her hands together in her lap and watched his actions, "Then you will need to look as much as you want Tastol, we do not need you distracted by my presence should I need you." Her eyes moved up to meet his. She felt a pull to him but she fought it trying to keep her distance from him.

Lela caught herself reaching her hand out to his arm as the knock came on the door. She quickly clasped her hands together again and stood up. She knew they needed time to prepare and not be a distraction for one another, but something about him called to her and she didn't understand it. She started to move toward the door before being halted. Her breath caught in her throat until all she could do was nod to him. Her eyes watched him pass her to the door, seeing how his stance went from being armed and ready to somewhat relaxed once he saw what was on the other side. She sat back on the bed and wondered how she was going to get through the night with the likes of him.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.

Tastol made no attempt to move away as Lela settled herself on the bed beside him. His gaze turned to her as she spoke, but he still found her words hard to process. To do as she bade would distract him from his duty, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he allowed something to happen to her. That thought itself was so very different from how he normally felt when he dealt with royalty. It was true that he prided himself on his ability to protect his charges, but for some reason, he felt differently about her, that much more protective. His gaze lowered to her hand as it reached towards him, but a knock on the door halted it.

Without hesitation, Tastol reached for the belt that held his scimitars. "Lela wait!" Tastol said, a little more harshly than he intended as he strapped the belt around his waist once more. He was relieved when she did as he ordered and stopped, letting him move past her to look through the peek hole in the door before relaxing and opening it and stepped aside.

The bar maid paid no attention to either of them really. She just hurried into the room and set both of the plates she carried, as well as both of the mugs, one Lela's bedside table before turning around and heading back out of the room, closing the room behind her.

Tastol locked the door behind the barmaid, turning to Lela before looking past her to the venison steaks on the plates and the ale in the mugs. It wasn't exactly what his body needed, but it was far better than nothing, and would keep his hunger at bay, at least for a little while. "Shall we?" Tastol asked as he stepped past Lela, picking up a plate and mug and offering it to Lela.

Lela watched the barmaid move in and back out of the room, her eyes never leaving Tastol and when he turned to her her breath caught again. What was it about him that had her like this? She didn't know but then his eyes moved to the food before he moved closer to her, handing her the plate and mug. She thanked him before her eyes finally left him and moved to her food.

Lela wasn't that hungry, though she knew in time she would need to eat. She took a few bites and they didn't say much to each other during the whole meal. Once she was done she stood up and moved to the table by the door, placing her plate and mug down.

Lela moved over toward the tub and knew she needed to bath, but how to do it with Tastol still in the room? She turned to him, "Would you mind going down to get some water for us to use?" She watched as he walked out of the room, though she knew he didn't care to leave her side at all. She proceeded to whip up a curtain of sorts, using the sheet from the bed. Once that was completed she turned and used the chair near the tub as a stool of sorts, placing her left foot on it and starting to unfasten her boot. Once freed she moved her right foot up on the chair and started to unfasten that boot.

As she moved to slip her top from her body she heard the door open once again and knew instantly that he had returned. She could feel him, knew it was him without even looking. She proceeded to remove her top and lay it on the chair, knowing the curtain behind her kept her hidden. She moved her fingers to britches and started to unfasten them, pushing them down her hips and off her legs. Once free of her clothing she turned toward the tub, moving in front of it to where she saw the buckets of water resting.

Lela reached her hand out to grab one of the buckets, glancing up, her eyes caught Tastol's for a moment. Again her breath caught in her throat, her nipples hardened quickly as moisture pooled between her legs. The look in his eyes didn't frighten her, in fact it turned her on.

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3/24/13 - Just a heads up for my co-writers, I will be going out of town from the afternoon of the 27th and won't be returning until late 4/8. I will try to keep track of my threads while I am away.